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WorldBoston

WorldBoston was founded in 1961 as the Boston Center for International Visitors, a nonprofit organization with a mission to connect hundreds of emerging leaders from around the globe each year with their counterparts in Greater Boston's business, government, academic, cultural and scientific communities. In 2002, the organization merged with the World Affairs Council of Boston, a nonpartisan forum founded in 1949 to engage the public in discussions about critical international issues. WorldBoston today is an active independent member of both the National Council for International Visitors and the World Affairs Councils of America, and a dynamic and respected community leader in Boston.s global network. With its expertise in fostering international exchanges and unique mix of educational programs, WorldBoston continues to build on its distinguished tradition of promoting dialogue among leaders, cross-cultural connections and public learning.

http://www.worldboston.org/

Great Decisions | China’s Naval Expansion: The Pacific and Beyond

Thu, Dec 8, 2016

The South China Sea has long been an area of contention, but increased tensions in recent years over issues of territory have placed these waters in the global spotlight. Join WorldBoston and the Rosenberg Institute at Suffolk University as we examine China’s geopolitical strategy in the South Pacific. Professor Peter Dutton, an expert on strategic studies, Chinese sovereignty, and maritime law will lead a discussion on how China’s actions in this potential flashpoint could impact the region for years to come. Image Credit: http://www.lowellinstitute.org/media/media/images/event/us-yes-china-we-did-send-a-small-armada-to-the-south-china-sea.jpg

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Cuba and the United States: A Discussion with Ambassador Paul Webster Hare

Wed, Oct 26, 2016

The U.S. announced in December 17, 2014, that, after decades of isolation, it would be taking major steps to normalize relations with Cuba. The announcement marked a dramatic shift away from a policy with roots in one of the darkest moments of the Cold War—the Cuban missile crisis. Although the U.S. trade embargo is unlikely to end any time soon, American and Cuban leaders today are trying to bring a relationship once defined by antithetical ideologies into the 21st century. Join former British Ambassador to Cuba, Paul Webster Hare for a discussion on the future of U.S. Cuba relations. What is the outlook for the island over the next decade? Will there be a transition away from the Castro regime? Can President Obama’s efforts to normalize relations be reversed?

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Peace Through Entrepreneurship: Investing in a Startup Culture

Tue, Oct 11, 2016

In his book _Peace Through Entrepreneurship_ Steven R. Koltai argues that joblessness – not religious or cultural conflict – is the root cause of the unrest, extremism, and terror that vexes American foreign policy and threatens American security. He offers a new solution based on a quintessentially American value and underutilized foreign policy tool: entrepreneurship. As the first Senior Advisor for Entrepreneurship under Secretary Hillary Clinton at the State Department, Koltai not only sets forth why this is good policy, but how the US Government can do it better. Photo: ["The Incubators Youth Outreach Network"](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32105923 "") By Abelkazzah - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,

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Refugee Resettlement: The Massachusetts End of the Pipeline

Wed, Jun 15, 2016

Experts: **Mary Truong**, **Jeffrey Thielman**, And **Marjean Perhot** discuss the fundamental questions surrounding the refugee resettlement process in Massachusetts. Who will be resettled in the Commonwealth? How is Massachusetts chosen as their destination? How does the state distribute funds to assist in the resettlement process? Which organizations manage the process of resettlement? This panel of experts focuses on what is being done to resettle the refugees who are already in Massachusetts or who are on their way. (Photo: [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kurdish_Refuge_Camp_in_Suruc_Turkey.jpg ""))

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America in the Middle East: Alliances and War

Thu, May 26, 2016

Is U.S. military policy to blame for the current instability in the Middle East? From a proxy war in Yemen to an ongoing civil war in Syria, a number of conflicts have shaken traditional alignments in the Middle East to their core. _New York Times_ bestselling author **Andrew Bacevich** discusses what the U.S. can do to secure its interests in the region. Prior to becoming Professor Emeritus of International Relations and History at the Boston University Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Dr. Bacevich served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. Based on his expertise in the topic and insights from his book _America's War for the Greater Middle East_ (2016), he outlines the various traditional alliances in the Middle East and how American engagement has influenced decision making in the region. (Image: U.S. Naval War College (120612-N-LE393-170) [[CC BY-SA 2.0]](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "BYSA 2"), via [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:120612-N-LE393-170_(7368347472).jpg "Andrew Bacevich cover"))

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The Future of Kurdistan

Thu, Apr 7, 2016

Kurdistan, a mountainous area made up of parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, is home to one of the largest ethnic groups in the region: the Kurds. Now, most in the West know them for their small, oil-rich autonomous region in northern Iraq called Iraqi Kurdistan — one of the U.S.' closer allies in the Middle East and a bulwark against the expansion of the so-called Islamic State. What does the success of Iraqi Kurdistan mean for Kurds in the surrounding region? **Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman**, the Kurdistan Regional Government Representative to the U.S., discusses the status of Kurdistan and its relationship to the United States. Before her appointment as the representative to the U.S., Ms. Abdul Rahman worked as a journalist for 17 years and then began her public service career as the High Representative to the United Kingdom. In her current role, she works to strengthen ties between Kurdistan and the United States, advocate for her government's position on a wide array of political, security, humanitarian, economic, and cultural matters, and promote coordination and partnership, influencing both Kurdistan-U.S. relations and the position of Kurdistan in the world.

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Cities and Climate Change: Boston at the Paris Climate Conference

Wed, Feb 24, 2016

The American public has become more aware during the 2010s of the damage wrought by climate change. From droughts in the west to extreme weather in the east, a rapidly changing climate has already made its footprint in the United States. The extreme winter of 2015 is a reminder that Massachusetts will not escape unscathed from this global phenomenon. Cities around the world are responding as best they can to these changes, even as a global strategy to deal with climate change remains elusive. **Austin Blackmon**, the City of Boston’s Chief for the Environment and Energy, discusses the role of cities in combating climate change. Blackmon represented Boston at the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21), where the city received a prestigious C40 award for “Smart Cities and Smart Community Engagement.” How has Boston become a global leader in the fight against climate change? What more must be done to stymie this environmental crisis? (Photo: [Flickr/Aris Gionis](https://www.flickr.com/photos/aris_gionis/5133753470/in/photolist-8PDQ3S-d8nkZu-eqs2C1-5wAYrT-52kLwT-hBUGuD-8XeJyn-5wAThT-8Xfi34-8PCxhj-d8cgf-MqkG2-7bdz2k-3m6gup-9yZKcK-8NAfr9-jLYbEc-8k6dn6-6WfdUe-dZjiUt-qGQEWS-jBwsND-d1aC4N-7RUSrR-d8aT8-hBTRrj-gChztm-djPpS-epvNTc-6ehjsY-8kk4Cz-qhgUgb-5DV1N6-8NTWNm-bPsrYa-4jjkrD-49DezA-d8aJj-8ma4eC-GDRjB-6qo9fz-2TfNft-4VPLYg-ec7AE2-bSxZep-8ma4of-5AfwbM-omDYN-4JkGQc-vSoByz "Boston Environment Photo"), image cropped)

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Empire Strikes Back: The Russo-Ukrainian Conflict

Tue, Dec 15, 2015

As calls for closer ties with the EU failed to be met, Ukrainians took to the streets in November 2013. As the movement, later known as the Euromaidan or “Euro Square,” pulled western Ukraine closer to its European neighbors, another powerful force threatened to tear away the country’s eastern half: Russia. Putin’s pushback against European expansionism has the West wondering: If Putin’s Russia isn’t afraid to take an aggressive stance against Europeanization in Ukraine, what does that mean for the rest of Russia’s neighbors? Professor Serhii Plokhii explains the origins of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict and its implications for the geopolitical situation in Europe today. (Photo: "2014-03-01. Митинг в Донецке 0015" by Andrew Butko. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org)

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Making Sense of ISIS and Sectarianism

Thu, Nov 19, 2015

When a political regime rapidly collapses, as happened in Iraq in 2003, leaving society in near total chaos, what happens next? Why were Shiites more successful in limiting violence and providing public goods than Sunnis were in Iraq? Why have many women in the Middle East resorted to increasingly conservative modes of dress in recent decades? Many of the current conflicts in the Middle East have been attributed to sectarianism, a politicization of ethnic and religious identity. From the crisis in Iraq and Syria to the tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the struggle between Sunni and Shiites groups for dominance is tearing apart the region and shows no signs of abating. However, for all the religious discourse permeating the conflict, much of its roots are political, not religious. How does sectarianism fit into a larger narrative of the Middle East? How have governments manipulated sectarian differences? And finally, what is the U.S. doing about it?

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The U.S. and Africa: Democratization, Peacekeeping, and Countering Extremism

Thu, Sep 24, 2015

The United States’ long and complicated history with the African continent has grown ever more tumultuous in the new millennium. Now home to some of the world’s fastest growing economies, traditional goals of promoting peace and democracy are fast being replaced by a desire to invest and engage African nations economically. Despite new challenges and opportunities, U.S. Africa policy has remained in flux under President Obama. The growing threat of Islamic extremism in both the Western and Eastern parts of the continent has further complicated American foreign policy. Dr. Pearl Robinson discusses U.S. Policy in Africa and the challenges and opportunities present in the second decade of the 21st century. She'll look at how American policy has shifted in response to the growing threat posed by Islamic extremism in Africa, and how U.S. policies are perceived by Africans and their leaders. Photo: "[Michelle-obama-bringbackourgirls](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michelle-obama-bringbackourgirls.jpg#/media/File:Michelle-obama-bringbackourgirls.jpg)" by Michelle Obama, Office of the First Lady - First Lady of the United States Twitter account [[1]](https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/464148654354628608/photo/1) (confirmed account). Licensed under Public Domain via [Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/).

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